NJ Justices Revive Restaurant Franchise Fraud Conviction

By Carla Baranauckas

The New Jersey Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously reinstated a businessman's theft-by-deception conviction on Tuesday, ruling that exculpatory documents purportedly discovered after trial could have been found earlier through reasonable diligence and warning that some of the submissions may be fraudulent.

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Beasley Allen Fails To Overturn J&J Talc Disqualification

By Adrian Cruz

A New Jersey federal judge affirmed the Beasley Allen Law Firm's disqualification from multidistrict litigation over Johnson & Johnson's talcum powder on Tuesday, determining that the firm has failed to provide a valid reason to back its attempt at a stay and temporary reinstatement into the matter.

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Ironworkers Union Local Must Face NJ AG's Bias Suit

By Katherine Smith

A New Jersey Superior Court judge refused to dismiss the state's discrimination lawsuit accusing an Ironworkers local of systematically passing over Black union members for job assignments, ruling that the claims are not time-barred or preempted by federal labor law.

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AGs Say House Child Safety Bill Weakens States' Authority

By Susan Smiley

A group of 44 attorneys general for states including California, New York, New Jersey and Michigan have created a coalition opposing the House version of the Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act, H.R. 7757, and signed a letter to congressional leaders pointing out the shortcomings of the bill.

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3rd Circ. Disapproves Of Judge's Quips In Fatal Crash Case

By Y. Peter Kang

The Third Circuit on Tuesday scolded a Pennsylvania federal judge for his "inappropriate attempted witticisms" while presiding over a lawsuit in which a parent blamed transportation companies for the deaths of his two children in a highway collision, saying the judge's "ill-conceived attempts at levity" in a fatal injury case could be misinterpreted by the public.

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3rd Circ. Grants Tax-Evading Mushroom Farmer New Sentence

By Matthew Santoni

The owner of a Pennsylvania mushroom farm will get a new sentence for failing to forward her workers' tax withholdings, after the Third Circuit ruled Tuesday that her sentencing guidelines should not have included an additional $1.8 million in taxes that her company failed to pay.

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Brief

3rd Circ. Stay Blocks Khalil's Removal For High Court Appeal

By Bonnie Eslinger

The Third Circuit on Tuesday granted former Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil's request to stay a split panel decision in his immigration case, blocking his detention and removal while he seeks to have the ruling reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

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NJ Warehouse-To-Luxury Loft Developer Hits Ch. 11

By Ben Zigterman

The developer of a 120-unit residential complex in New Jersey known as The Cliffs has filed for Chapter 11 relief to prevent a forfeiture of its equity interests in the development.

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Analysis

Meet Biden's Attys Fighting DOJ Release Of Memoir Materials

By Jeff Overley

Former President Joe Biden has selected Hecker Fink LLP lawyers well acquainted with politically charged litigation for his extraordinary new lawsuit accusing the U.S. Department of Justice of orchestrating a congressional inquiry in order to divulge "highly personal" records to the Heritage Foundation.

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Chicago US Atty Revamps Grand Jury Rules After Misconduct

By Parker Quinlan

Chicago's top federal prosecutor announced on Wednesday a new suite of rules for how grand jury investigations are handled after an Illinois federal judge accused the prosecutor's office of misconduct in a case against six immigration activists.

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Pierce Atwood Rips Billionaire's 'Absurd' Suit Over Asset Sale

By Sydney Price

Pierce Atwood and two attorneys urged a Massachusetts federal judge to reject a Ukrainian billionaire's suit blaming them for a $1.8 billion damages order in investor litigation over the billionaire's failed biotech company, saying his own wrongdoing led to the judgment.

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Ex-Judges Urge Court To Scrutinize Trump-IRS Deal

By Jack McLoone

A group of 35 former federal judges pushed for a Florida federal court to reopen President Donald Trump's now-settled $10 billion tax leak case against his own Internal Revenue Service, alleging that Trump and the DOJ deceived the court.

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Trump Taps Ohio Appeals Judge For Federal Bench

By Courtney Bublé

President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday he's nominating state Judge Matthew Byrne as a U.S. district judge for the Southern District of Ohio.

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Perkins Coie Docs At Issue In Omani Co.'s Malpractice Case

By Sarah Jarvis

An Oman-based screw and nail manufacturer has urged a Washington state judge to force Perkins Coie LLP to hand over a trove of documents related to the firm's past work representing the Middle Eastern company in a U.S. Department of Commerce probe, saying more information is needed to assess the law firm's defenses against claims its mistakes cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars.

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ProPublica Denied Access To Ranbaxy Antitrust MDL Docs

By Gianna Ferrarin

A Massachusetts federal court denied ProPublica's bid to unseal court filings in settled multidistrict litigation alleging a subsidiary of Indian drugmaker Sun Pharmaceuticals illegally delayed market entry of generic drugs, ruling the nonprofit news organization's request came too late in the case.

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Titan Of The Plaintiffs Bar: Keller Rohrback's Gretchen Freeman Cappio

By Andrea Keckley

By the time Volkswagen was exposed for touting the low emissions of cars that secretly released nitrogen oxide pollutants up to 40 times the legal limit in the U.S., Keller Rohrback LLP's Gretchen Freeman Cappio knew she wasn't interested in defending corporate giants.

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